The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-18
OF INTEREST TO WOMEN.
Independent Methods of Dress and Living
Adopted by Some Members Of the Sex.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
NEW YORK. Sept 1Z-"Why don't you women
go TO different dressmakers9"
What is the troube?o
sOne has given up expecting to see you dress
yourselves according to your individual tastes.
characters and styles. You all dressmakers'
models. but if you would only introduce variety
by consenting TO be models of different dress
makers that would relieve the general monotony
little. AS it is you all go to the same one, or
else all the dressmakers copy one another"
This challenge, issued at a Newport garden
party. short time since. resulted in novel
dress reception in quiet little studio the other
evening The invitations extended to ladies
contained the stipulation that each woman at
tending should wear what, in her eyes. was the
ideal dress for her SEX, the idea being to induce
each fair dame to put on for once what she
would prefer to wear always if the conventions
of society permitted. No such restriction was
put upon the escort. Gentlemen were permitted
to experiment in aesthetic male attire or not as
they chose, with the exception of the hypercriti-
cal artist whose animadversions had furnished
the occasion of the gathering. He was notified
that exemplifcation of tie millennial costume
of the man was required at his hands
The gowns brought out at this unique evening
tea displayed considerable originality. and ind-
Gated greater amount of thought bestowed
healthful and artstically- beautiful dress than
one would have given New York subjects of the
lady's tailor by day and the French modiste by
night credit for. They did not follow any exist
ing dress-reform models closely, though one d.
vided skirt in the field No two resembled
each other, and number of extremely pleasing
costumes were evolved A tall, slight blonde
wore gown of peach blow silk crepe. 1t fitted
closely at the back, falling without draperies
In front it dropped loosely in long Greek folds.
confined by silken girdie. The sleeves were
close to the elbow, quite full above. No trim
mings OF any kind were allowed, and no orna-
ments worn. The shoes were low cut without
heels, and of light undressed kid. The dress
just cleared the floor. Another gown was of
white silk, soft and clinging, cut after modifi-
cation of the Directoire fashion. The bodice
was cut neither high in the neck nor low, but
gathered perhaps two inches three below the
usual daylight cboker level. showing pretty
throat. The loose short waist with out darts
was gathered into belt, and the skirts abso-
lutely without trimming or drapery fell close
about the limbs. For the slender rosy brunette
who wore 1t nothing more effective could have
been devised.
A majority of the gowns probably were in the
softer silks, which make the moot graceful of
drapery dresses, and lend themselves most
easily to a departure from conventional forms.
Numbers of the women present giving the oc-
casion its broadcast latitude. illustrated their
ideas, not of evening dress and gala gowns, but
of every day dress suitable to their chosen occu-
patops. A walking gown, for instance of russell
brown cashmere was made with short skirt,
without draperes, laid in broad side plaits The
bodice was close fitting behind, with loose
Jacket front falling full blouse of plaided
surah in garnet and olive shades. An artists
wife, more radical in her dress reform desires
than many of her companions. haoited herself
in soft moss-green wool gown with a full
plain skirt four inches shorter
than the customary walking length With
rial, falling over a belt and laced with a silk
cord. She allowed herself wide velvet collar
and velvet cuffs to the leg o mutton sleeves, and
then declared herself ready for any of life's
emergencies, even to running to the fourth story
two steps at once. Highlandish costume with
skirts reaching Just below the knees and reached
bv long laced boots, with soft undressed kid tops,
coored TO harmonic with the gown, was the
only startling deviation from ordinary attire,
but the dresses without exception were SO con-
trived as not insist the outlines of the
figure, and being free instead OF strained from
bias seam to bias seam, were proportionately
graceful. Not fitted closely above the waist
line. They were tea gowns and tennis gowns
adapted to all other uses.
The men of the party did not avail themselves
of their privilege very fully, though the lndi-
vidual who was put on honor to wear what he
thought he ought to wear. allowed his conscience
wreste with him SO far as to put white
flannel shirt and a painters jacket instead of
dress suit The independent woman, city gypsy
she calls herself sometimes has not usually
full pocket book. She can't afford too big rent
bill and frequently her Office, or studio. or work
is sltting-room ana bedroom In one.
There buildings, not too many of them,
which make specially of letting Offices to her
and here she will exercise an ingenuity that
stamps her truly feminine to conceal its de-
ficencies, adapt it for business and turn it into
a home. Her folding bed doesn't betray that
she sleeps there. Her toilet arrangements are
tucked away behind a hand painted screen or
secluded by bright draperles If she can afford
it she goes to restaurant. If
she can't, the possibilities of a gas-stovs
and eight housekeeping" are boundless. These
emancpated women hunt in couples usually,
and the partners to housekeeping arrange
ment of this kind engaged in widely different
work perhaps through the day contract friend
ships that last for lifetime These women of
the Offices, the studies and the studios grow into
Bohemian coteries whose members are indie
pendent of other associations. There are any
where from 1,20G to 1900 of them in the city, I
suppose. and they the most interesting,
frequently the most brilliant. of all city women
to meet. They are leading life that would
have been impossible to any woman without
ostracsm twenty five years ago, but is now
fully recognized that the most sensitive of
women thrive under it aad grow original in
it. The feminine bachelor is a feature of mod
New York.
The house OF the future will have in most of
it rooms hardwood floor, hardwood walls and
hardwood ceiling. So it looks now, at any rate.
The tendency in that direction IS already notice
able. An inspection of the finer houses built in
the city within a year or two shows a liking for
wood paneling everywhere. AS best arranged.
the darkest wood for the floor, lighter shade
for the walls and the lightest overhead. Oak,
ash, mahogany, maple, sycamore holly. rose
wood and ebony are the woods that figure most
prominently under the new regime. and properly
treated they make apartments that not only
beautiful estheticaliy, but hygienically, good to
live IN. Rugs take the place of carpets. and
haneings used in sufficient quantity to give
a warm. furnished look, but not to breed dust
and germs. ELIZA 2. HEAToN.~
How Often Should She Change Her Dress.
Special to the Indianapolis journal.
NEW YORK, Sept 1.-THE question, how
many times a day & woman of good standing
ought to change her gown. is that has been